The gang didn't know what to think at first. They were getting fired on from other directions and they were not sure where it was coming from. When one of them realized it was coming from us he yelled at some of the others to follow him. They went behind Bryan's house with plans of attacking us on the back side. They jumped Bryan's back yard fence they worked their way over to our backyard fence, jumped it and came around the back of the garage. As soon as they did everyone on the back side of our house started firing on them. Suddenly they were caught in the middle of a cross fire. Our neighbors behind us were firing on them and the people across the street from them were firing at the gang to. Gang members were dropping left and right. Those that could tried to get away only to have some of them drop to. The fight went on for over and hour before what was left of the gang took off. We could hear others firing at them as they ran. Our town was finally starting to come together and act as one.
After everything quited down a little we all relaxed our guard a little. The kids had been awakened by the gun fight and were hungry. I called to Nikiki to come and take my spot while Tammy and I fixed breakfast. Tammy stoked the fire in the heater and got coffee and tea going while I got out to pints of sausge crumbles and the powered eggs I had in storage. The chickens had not been laying well lately. I mixed up the powered eggs with some water and a little melted butter, drained the sausage and added to the eggs. I pulled out my grandmothers big cast iron skillet and placed in on the heater. Once it was hot enough I added some butter, let it melt and then added the eggs. I didn't have time to make bread or biscuits so we just had the eggs this morning. When the eggs were done Tammy and I passed out the plates along with cups of coffee or tea. Julie had the kids at the table and was feeding Maci while the other kids ate.
Once breakfast was over we thought it best if everyone took turns taking a nap. There were 12 adults in the house now so we decided 6 would sleep for 3 hours first then the other 6 would get a three hour nap. It was decided that the half the older members and half the younger members would sleep first so since I was the one that did most of the cooking I was on the first nap shift. as well as the neighbor's wife, John, Dave, Tammy and JR.
After I got up from my nap I gathered up the food we would need for dinner. Then I started on making bread. I needed a little sense of normality or I was going to lose it. While making bread I can always let my mind wonder back to when I was a little girl and watching my grandmother making bread. Thinking of her always brings me a sense of peace and memories of a much better time in life.
I made enough bread for 4 loaves because my neighbor had said it had been months since they had any bread. They had been cooking on a little camp stove for all this time and ate all one pot meals. I had gotten out 3 quarts of deer roast strips, a pound of rice and two quarts of green beans. I planned on making a pan of gravy and putting the deer roast in it to heat up and serve over the rice with the green beans served on the side.
After the bread had risen for the second time I place the insert of my Nesco roaster on top of 4 tuna cans on the heater. I put the pans of bread in and covered the roaster pan with the lid. Wehn the bread was done I took the bread out and placed it on some cooling racks then set the roaster insert on top of my gas stove to cool. I started up the kerosene heater and put the rice on it to cook then I got my grandmother's big cast iron pan and made gravy using lard saved from the pig we butchered, flour, water, salt and black pepper. When the gravy was almost done I added the deer meat to heat it through and give the gravy a little more flavor. Once it was done I covered the pan and sat it down on the warming rack so I could heat the green beans on the heater. I had Steve and JR pull out another folding table that I had in storage and place it at the end of the other one then I asked them to find two more chairs. It's been pretty quite for some time now so I feel safe in calling everyone to come and eat together.
When everyone had finished eating and everyone had a cup of coffee, hot tea or cocoa to drink we started talking about what to do about all the bodies that were laying outside. Our neighbor suggested that some of the bodies be hung by ropes from the over pass with a sign saying "This is what happens to gang who enter our town." I was completely against it as was my sil but the rest thought it might be a good thing to do. They felt it might make the next roaming gangs think twice before attacking the town again. If it stayed quite tonight then they planned on doing it tomorrow. I don't like the idea at all but its all them against the two of us and maybe they are right.
A plan was made that tomorrow they would take four bodies and hang two from each side of the over pass with signs. The rest would be dumped in the cemetery. We still need to get a count and gather the weapons and any ammo we could find from the bodies. There were a lot more bodies this time and there was no way Steve, Mike and JR could handle it all by themselves. So it was deciced that a group of us would go out armed and check the bodies, gather the weapons and ammo and then the guys would load the bodies and take them off. Nikki and Tammy both had little children so we didn't want them to take the risk and have the kids wind up with out their mothers so we decided that Jen and I would gather the weapons. The guys would stand guard while we did that then we would stand guard while they loaded the bodies in the truck.
Tonight John, Dave and the neighbor are going to stand guard so the rest of us can sleep. We are going to have a long hard day tomorrow and we are going to need our strength. I am glad I am not going to have to go with them and see the bodies hanging from the overpass. I don't think I can handle that. I made the guys promise me that they would not hang the bodies of young kids up. While this new life is turning me hard against some things, knowing that young kids are hanging from the over pass is not one of them. At least not yet and I hope it never does because when that happens I will have lost every last shred of humanity I have in me.
After everything quited down a little we all relaxed our guard a little. The kids had been awakened by the gun fight and were hungry. I called to Nikiki to come and take my spot while Tammy and I fixed breakfast. Tammy stoked the fire in the heater and got coffee and tea going while I got out to pints of sausge crumbles and the powered eggs I had in storage. The chickens had not been laying well lately. I mixed up the powered eggs with some water and a little melted butter, drained the sausage and added to the eggs. I pulled out my grandmothers big cast iron skillet and placed in on the heater. Once it was hot enough I added some butter, let it melt and then added the eggs. I didn't have time to make bread or biscuits so we just had the eggs this morning. When the eggs were done Tammy and I passed out the plates along with cups of coffee or tea. Julie had the kids at the table and was feeding Maci while the other kids ate.
Once breakfast was over we thought it best if everyone took turns taking a nap. There were 12 adults in the house now so we decided 6 would sleep for 3 hours first then the other 6 would get a three hour nap. It was decided that the half the older members and half the younger members would sleep first so since I was the one that did most of the cooking I was on the first nap shift. as well as the neighbor's wife, John, Dave, Tammy and JR.
After I got up from my nap I gathered up the food we would need for dinner. Then I started on making bread. I needed a little sense of normality or I was going to lose it. While making bread I can always let my mind wonder back to when I was a little girl and watching my grandmother making bread. Thinking of her always brings me a sense of peace and memories of a much better time in life.
I made enough bread for 4 loaves because my neighbor had said it had been months since they had any bread. They had been cooking on a little camp stove for all this time and ate all one pot meals. I had gotten out 3 quarts of deer roast strips, a pound of rice and two quarts of green beans. I planned on making a pan of gravy and putting the deer roast in it to heat up and serve over the rice with the green beans served on the side.
After the bread had risen for the second time I place the insert of my Nesco roaster on top of 4 tuna cans on the heater. I put the pans of bread in and covered the roaster pan with the lid. Wehn the bread was done I took the bread out and placed it on some cooling racks then set the roaster insert on top of my gas stove to cool. I started up the kerosene heater and put the rice on it to cook then I got my grandmother's big cast iron pan and made gravy using lard saved from the pig we butchered, flour, water, salt and black pepper. When the gravy was almost done I added the deer meat to heat it through and give the gravy a little more flavor. Once it was done I covered the pan and sat it down on the warming rack so I could heat the green beans on the heater. I had Steve and JR pull out another folding table that I had in storage and place it at the end of the other one then I asked them to find two more chairs. It's been pretty quite for some time now so I feel safe in calling everyone to come and eat together.
When everyone had finished eating and everyone had a cup of coffee, hot tea or cocoa to drink we started talking about what to do about all the bodies that were laying outside. Our neighbor suggested that some of the bodies be hung by ropes from the over pass with a sign saying "This is what happens to gang who enter our town." I was completely against it as was my sil but the rest thought it might be a good thing to do. They felt it might make the next roaming gangs think twice before attacking the town again. If it stayed quite tonight then they planned on doing it tomorrow. I don't like the idea at all but its all them against the two of us and maybe they are right.
A plan was made that tomorrow they would take four bodies and hang two from each side of the over pass with signs. The rest would be dumped in the cemetery. We still need to get a count and gather the weapons and any ammo we could find from the bodies. There were a lot more bodies this time and there was no way Steve, Mike and JR could handle it all by themselves. So it was deciced that a group of us would go out armed and check the bodies, gather the weapons and ammo and then the guys would load the bodies and take them off. Nikki and Tammy both had little children so we didn't want them to take the risk and have the kids wind up with out their mothers so we decided that Jen and I would gather the weapons. The guys would stand guard while we did that then we would stand guard while they loaded the bodies in the truck.
Tonight John, Dave and the neighbor are going to stand guard so the rest of us can sleep. We are going to have a long hard day tomorrow and we are going to need our strength. I am glad I am not going to have to go with them and see the bodies hanging from the overpass. I don't think I can handle that. I made the guys promise me that they would not hang the bodies of young kids up. While this new life is turning me hard against some things, knowing that young kids are hanging from the over pass is not one of them. At least not yet and I hope it never does because when that happens I will have lost every last shred of humanity I have in me.